Unionists cannot represent all with no women candidates - Gildernew

Sinn Féin candidate for Fermanagh South Tyrone Michelle Gildernew has said the DUP's failure to field any women candidates in the forthcoming elections is another sign of a party stuck in the past.

Speaking today Ms Gildernew said:

"The complete absence of women candidates in the forthcoming elections for several unionist parties is an absolute disgrace.

"This is 2015 and the failure of unionist parties including the DUP to field women candidates is astounding.

"Only in March of this year a report titled 'Women in Politics' was unanimously endorsed on the floor of the Assembly.

"The DUP's Stephen Moutray said in that debate: 'The Assembly, political parties and the Executive cannot truly deliver for all their citizens if half the population remains underrepresented in the political arena.'

"How does this square with the DUP endorsing all-male candidates along as well asa further two men in unionist electoral pacts with the UUP. In tow of the constituencies with pacts they are seeking to remove a woman from the seat.

"It is clear from the DUP's electoral intentions that they were only paying lip service to such an ideal and in their own words 'cannot truly deliver for all their citizens'."